PARIS, Texas-Mustangs can be tamed when the right team comes to town.
Pleasant Grove throttled Dallas Roosevelt, 56-12, in a Class 4A, Div. II bi-district playoff football game at Paris' Wildcat Stadium.
"We got to play many of our players, and when you can win a Texas playoff game, 56-12, then it's big," Hawks' head coach Josh Gibson said. "I am most proud of getting to play so many. Those kids got to see their investment pay off.
"We did really well and scored quickly on offense. We were also a little sloppy at times. The ball was cold and slick, but that is no excuse. We would like to get more stops on defense, but I still feel good. I feel good about our team and our kids. We won in dominating fashion and now have to get ready for round two."
Bruce Garrett led all rushers with 163 yards on 13 carries and a score. Quarterback Ben Harmon threw for 204 yards and three touchdowns on 6-of-7 passing. Two of those TDs were caught by Jackson Cobb, who led all receivers with 92 yards.
Pleasant Grove built a 28-0 lead at the half, and played many second, third, and fourth-deep players in the second half.
Cobb caught a 58-yard pass in the third to give the Hawks a 35-0 lead. The Mustangs responded to make it 35-6.
James Wiggins scored on a 33-yard run to make it 42-6 after Dillon Williams' PAT. Roosevelt responded with a TD, but Bladen Reaves ran the ball in from 45 yards out to make it 48-12.
Will Cullipher sealed the game with a 23-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to extend Pleasant Grove's lead to 44 points.
Roosevelt drove inside the Hawks' 20-yard line twice, but weren't able to convert on either fourth down.
Garrett scampered down the field from 52 yards out to set up a 40-yard touchdown pass from Harmon to James Wiggins on the first score of the game.
The Black Hawk defense stopped Roosevelt on a 4th-and-11 to regain possession early in the second quarter.
Garrett scored his second touchdown of the game on a 3-yard run. The score capped a 12-play, 95-yard drive in 3:34.
Pleasant Grove forced a punt, and the Mustangs' punter hit a 5-yard punt that gave the Hawks excellent field position.
Ryan Pickelman found the end zone on a 14-yard run to give the Hawks a 21-0 lead after a 5-play, 41-yard drive in 42 seconds.
Roosevelt went three-and-out and had to punt on their ensuing possession.
Cobb grabbed a 34-yard down pass from Harmon on the right sideline to give the Hawks a 28-0 lead.
Roosevelt 0 0 12 0 - 12
Pleasant Grove 7 21 21 7 - 56
First Quarter
PG-James Wiggins 40 pass from Ben Harmon (Dillon Williams kick), 4:03
Second Quarter
PG-Bruce Garrett 3 run (Williams kick), 8:22
PG-Ryan Pickelman 14 run (Williams kick), 4:21
PG-Jackson Cobb 34 pass from Harmon (Williams kick), 0:46
Third Quarter
PG-Cobb 58 pass from Harmon (Williams kick), 11:30
RV-Victor Parker 30 run (pass failed), 10:37
PG-Wiggins 33 run (Williams kick), 4:38
RV-Jeremiah Moore 51 pass from Parker (run failed), 3:20
PG-Bladen Reaves 45 run (Williams kick), 2:41
Fourth Quarter
PG-Will Cullipher 23 run (Williams kick), 10:49
=RV=PG
First Downs=14=21
Yards Rushing=39-149=47-471
Yards Passing=138=220
Passes A-C-I=14-8-0=8-6-0
Fumbles-Lost=1-1=2-2
Penalties=9-60=11-72
Punts-Avg.=4-22.8=0-0.0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING-Roosevelt, Parker 27-117, Antonia Phifer 9-53, Bryon Owens 1-(minus 2), team 2-(minus 19). Pleasant Grove, Garrett 13-163, Wiggins 7-79, Hlavinka 4-44, Antonio Watkins 2-18, Pickelman 2-24, Reaves 1-45, Hayden Koller 3-28, Dillon Willilams 2-1, Cullipher 1-23, Riiley Durmon 1-(minus 2), Andrew Legrand 1-6, Shayne Nelson 2-17, Garrett Moore 1-3, Gage Stivers 4-37, Dylan Hopkins 1-8.
PASSING-Roosevelt, Parker 8-14-0-138. Pleasant Grove, Harmon 6-7-0-204, Williams 1-2-0-16.
RECEIVING-Roosevelt, Kwame Kelly 1-7, Jeremiah Moore 3-73, Owens 2-38, Brian Patterson 1-2, Adric Irving 1-18. Pleasant Grove, Wiggins 1-40, Reaves 1-16, Brett Walker 1-39, Cobb 2-92, Dylan Hopkins 1-17, Marcus Burris 1-16.